IMPROVED seasonal conditions for the majority of their clients and the buoyant sheep market were credited for the sensational result at North Ashrose's on-property ram sale at Gulnare on Wednesday.
Offering a dozen more rams than last year, the Ashby family still achieved a full clearance and witnessed a $396 rise on their overall average.
The sale was once again solidified by bulk buying from regular northern, pastoral and interstate clients.
The 172 rams sold to a top of $8500 and averaged $2603, with the 152 Polls averaging $2635 and the 20 Merinos averaging $2355.
A selection of stud ewes were also offered, with 120, 15-month-old June-shorn Poll Merino ewes selling to $385, 25, 3.5yo making $300, 50, 4.5yo reaching $280 and 25, 5.5yo making $215.
North Ashrose principal Tom Ashby said the sale was strong from start to finish, with healthy bidding competition throughout.
"It was really pleasing to have a flow of different clients competing from the top end, through the middle and towards the back end," he said.
"We were really pleased with how the top sheep penned up and we think there's something on offer for all clients.
"I think the better season helped the result a bit. It's more buoyant when everyone's got a good season on the inside country and there were a couple of pastoral buyers that were back after a couple of years away due to the dry.
"The sheep market is also running along very strongly, young ewes are selling well into whatever market they go into and lambs are selling well so the whole industry is in a good place."
RELATED READING: Return clients ensure full clearance at North Ashrose
While many of the rams went to repeat buyers, the top-priced ram will remain at North Ashrose after being purchased by Martin Emiliano De Los Santos for his new business venture Medrose Rural.
The Uruguayan national, who has been working for the Ashbys for close to two years and learning the ins and outs of the Australian wool industry, was set to fly out soon after the North Ashrose sale.
Semen packages will be sent to Uruguay to be marketed by Mr De Los Santos to his contacts in the Uruguayan wool and Merino breeding industry.
Mr De Los Santos, who studied farm management and has a postgraduate degree in agribusiness, plans to settle in Australia and make a yearly pilgrimage to Uruguay to visit family and clients looking for top-shelf Australian Merino genetics.
He said this particular ram had bright, white wool with just the right amount of nourishment and a finer micron to suit the Uruguayan climate and markets, while also being a big wool cutter.
"I have seen this ram's progress since he was a lamb and the average wool cut of all the lambs was 3.9 kilograms and he cut 5.2kg," Mr De Los Santos said.
"His composition and structure is also correct, he is very pure, he has a great temperant and his poll factor is fantastic.
"There wasn't one reason not to buy him."
The top-priced Merino ram weighed in at 118 kilograms, carrying a 16.5 micron fleece, with a 2.6 standard deviation, 12.5 coefficient of variation, 99.9 per cent comfort factor and a greasy fleece weight percentage of 116.
It also had a eye muscle depth of 41.4 millimetres and fat depth of 9.2mm.
The second and third highest priced rams, at $8000 and $7500, were both bought by Belmont Merinos, Winton, QLD.
The breeders also bought in volume, securing 12 rams in total, averaging $2875.
The sale's volume buyers were Ben and Oona Banks, Springleigh Merinos, Blackall, QLD, taking 24 rams to $3400, averaging $2350.
Buying 14 rams to $4000, averaging $3150, was WH Lines & Co, Wilmington, while Thurlow Downs Station, Wanaaring, NSW, bought 14 rams all at $1500.
Hale Partners, Hallett, bought 13 to $3800, averaging $2308, and Minburra Station, via Orroroo, were successful on 12 rams to $2000, averaging $1625.
JA&JM Treloar, Mannahill Pastoral Services, Mannahill, also competed strongly, buying 11 rams to $3200, averaging $2545.
RELATED READING: Spread of buyers push North Ashrose ram sale to $8200
Securing 17 rams to a top of $4000 twice, averaging $2482, was Lemon Grove Merino, Nyngan, NSW, who were targeting rams high in greasy fleece weight and not too high in the micron, according to Elders Jamestown agent Scott Fleetwood.
Mr Fleetwood said the full clearance at North Ashrose and $2603 average was a great result for a year's worth of hard work.
He was also impressed by the results on the young ewes, saying it was a reflection of the strength of current commercial sales.
"People are still looking to rebuild flocks, but it's also great to have stud interest and people who are breeding their own rams looking to source top quality genetics to improve their flocks," Mr Fleetwood said.
Nutrien stud stock's Gordon Wood said the strong result and significant lift in average could be attributed both to seasonal fortunes and industry strength.
"There's a quite a few pastoral buyers here at North Ashrose that have had rain - they still need some more - but they've got some feed behind them, rebuilding flocks and therefore need more rams and are able to push that bit harder with the way the lamb, mutton and wool price is going at the moment," he said.
The sale was conducted by Nutrien and Elders, with Mr Wood and Tom Penna the auctioneers.
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